Director, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering

At Ariens Co, we build more than exceptional products – we create opportunities that impact careers. Our culture values innovative thinking, hard work and determination. We interact in teams, collaborate together and make decisions quickly.

We see growth potential in every team member, and are committed to supporting our employees with continuous training and advancement opportunities.
Speaking of people, you’re not just employee #1,762 to us. You’re family and your role is invaluable. Without exceptional people, we can’t continue to produce the amazing products we're known for around the world.
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* Job Description:

** Ariens Co is excited to be seeking a Director to lead and grow a high-performing Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering organization in Brillion, WI! This is a high-impact leadership role focused on designing, industrializing, and continuously improving high-volume, automotive-grade production processes.
** THE DAY TO DAY...**## Strategy & Leadership
* Build the vision, roadmap, and operating mechanisms for the Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering (IME) function; set clear standards for process design, documentation, validation, change control, and lessons learned
* Develop team capability (coaching, skills matrices, succession plans) and foster a culture of data-driven problem solving, standard work, and continuous improvement## New Product & Process Development (NPD/IPD)
* Own manufacturing readiness for new programs: process concepting, flow, line design, line balancing, ergonomics, tooling specification, and capital justification
* Lead application of APQP and PPAP (DFMEA/PFMEA, Control Plans, SPC) for launch readiness; partner with Quality, Supplier Quality, Product Engineering, and Supply Chain
* Plan and run DOE, capability studies, and production trials in order to achieve targeted Cpk/Ppk, FPY, and ramp-to-rate milestones
* Partner with Operations Leadership to ensure new products and processes are ready and capable of meeting or exceeding all production and quality goals and targets## Operational Excellence
* Drive systemic waste removal using Lean (VSM, 5S/6S, Kaizen, Kanban, visual management) and Six Sigma (DMAIC, statistical methods) to improve OEE, throughput, changeover, and labor productivity
* Implement robust standard work, work instructions, and error-proofing (Poka-Yoke); lock in improvements through layered audits and QOS routines
* Establish and maintain performance boards and tiered accountability (daily/weekly) with production leadership## Advanced Manufacturing & Automation
* Guide deployment of robotics, automated inspection, MES/traceability, and in-process testing to stabilize and scale high-volume operations (welding, forming, machining, assembly, paint)
* Partner with Controls/IT to ensure process data integrity and real-time analytics for decision support## Quality & Compliance
* Ensure adherence to relevant standards (e.g., , customer-specific requirements); champion preventive quality and robust process controls from Day 1
* Collaborate with Supplier Quality on incoming material/process capability and with Product Engineering on DFM/DFA tradeoffs## Cost & Capital Stewardship
* Deliver annual productivity (e.g., labor, material, scrap) and CI savings targets; build ROI-backed capital business cases and manage execution against scope, schedule, and budget## People Leadership
* Recruit top talent; set goals, conduct performance reviews, and recognize high performance
* Create an inclusive, safe environment; enforce EHS/ergonomics in process design and daily operations
** THE QUALIFICATIONS...
*** Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering or Mechanical Engineering
* Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in high-volume automotive or automotive-grade manufacturing environments, leading end-to-end process development and production scaling
* Demonstrated leadership of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering teams (multi-process lines preferred: forming, welding, machining, paint, assembly)
* Proven mastery of Lean Six Sigma; capable of coaching teams through DMAIC with measurable results
* Hands-on expertise with APQP/PPAP, PFMEA/Control Plan, MSA/SPC,…